Liverpool and Al Hilal have reportedly struck a “verbal agreement” regarding the sale of Darwin Núñez, although the Uruguayan forward’s lucrative exit may not be finalised by the time his current side are next in action.
Núñez has been hovering around the Anfield exit door all summer. The mercurial striker never established himself as a regular under Arne Slot after failing to live up to his hefty price tag, which could rise to as much as £85 million ($113 million), during two seasons with Jürgen Klopp.
There have been various links to clubs operating on the continent. Following an initial flurry from Atlético Madrid, Serie A seemed to be Núñez’s most likely destination, with AC Milan emerging as serious contenders in recent days. Yet, the riches of Saudi Arabia have loomed over the 26-year-old since Liverpool reportedly turned down Al Nassr’s approaches in the January transfer window.
Al Hilal have elbowed their way to the front of the queue this time around, billing Núñez as the club’s “priority target” to replace the glitz and glamour lost by the departure of Neymar Jr. six months ago. Talks have been ongoing throughout pre-season and now the two clubs have settled on the broad terms of a transfer, per Fabrizio Romano. No fee was reported.
Núñez is yet to agree personal terms with the Saudi giants, who have been urged to sign the Uruguay international by manager Simone Inzaghi.
Despite the advanced nature of these negotiations, Sky Sports News claim that Núñez is expected to be involved in Sunday’s Community Shield against Crystal Palace in some capacity. The trigger-happy striker has remained admirably focused throughout the summer, scoring five goals across four friendly appearances.
It remains to be seen how much of Núñez’s hulking fee—which was a club record at the time—Liverpool can recoup. Any funds acquired from this deal will likely go towards the ongoing pursuit of Alexander Isak, with the Premier League champions tipped to submit a second formal bid once Newcastle United have secured a suitable replacement.
That Al Hilal are indirectly subsidising Isak’s potential Newcastle exit would be a point of significant tension on Tyneside. Both clubs—as well as Al Nassr, Al Ahli and Al Ittihad—have the same majority owners: Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).
Newcastle’s spending is dictated by the club’s overall revenue rather than the bank balance of their owners thanks to the Premier League’s strict financial regulations, which has hamstrung the club during a difficult transfer window of more misses than hits. At a time when there have been suggestions that PIF are prioritising their Saudi contingent above Newcastle, it would go down very poorly if the owners are seen to be helping Liverpool buy Isak.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Liverpool ‘Agree’ Darwin Nunez Sale Despite ‘Expected’ Delay .